Easel



P 1950 B. A. HOFFMANN 2,522,270

EASEL Filed April 29, 1946 erate.

- a larger scale. 1

Patented Sept. 12, 1950 OFFVIC'EII Bernt Anker fioflmann, 'Oslo, Norway Application April 29; 1946, Serial No. 665,773

' 1 1 In'Norway January 28, 1944 seetion 1, Public Law e9 0, August s, 1946 Patent expires January 28, 1964 4 Claim's. (01. 248197) 1 V The present invention has to do with certain improvements in easels, and especially in field or portable easels intended to be usedfor painting in open'air. V 7

It is an object of this inventio'n'to provide a foldable easel, especially for out-of-door work, which is so constructed that a still not dry picture may be transported sitting in the easelwithout-damage of the painting or any risk for soiling thepainters dress by the Wetpaint. I g

-A further'object of the invention is to provide a picture protecting screen or shutter which when innon-protecting position may serve other useful purposessuch as serving as a shelf upon which the artist conveniently places his utensils, such as palette, colour-tubes etc.

Another object of the invention is 'to provide a protecting shutter of the type indicated,'which is of very simple construction and easy to op- The various features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawingjn which: v

Figure 1 is a front view ofthe easel condition, y

Figure 2 is a side view thereof and Figure 3 is a rear view of the same, the legs being partially collapsed.

Figure 4 is part of a rearview ofthe easel on Figure 5 illustrates a section on the line V- V in Fig. 4.

' Figure 6 isa front view of the easel in ent rely collapsed condition.

Figures 6a and 7 illustrate details on alarger scale, and" n I v Figure 8 is a view on a larger scale, of a further embodiment of the connection of the slidable legs of the easel.

On the drawing I indicates the outer frame of the easel, the rear side of which is strengthened by inclined stays 9, 9'. To the lower part of the two side members of the frame are by means of threaded bolts and thumb nuts 3, 3' piyotally secured the topmost members 2, 2 of two parallel legs, the flower portions of which consist of slid able links 4, 4 and 5, 5' respectively, which may also be swung on threaded bolts 6, 6' and 1,1 respectively, provided with thumb nuts. These bolts pass through longitudinal slots in the links 4, 4' and 5, 5, so that such links may be 'slided longitudinally as well as pivoted and also secured into the desired position by means of the thumb nuts. The links 2 and 2 are preferably interin erected connected by means of a cross bar and stays 8, 8', so that they always remain parallel. The legs comprising the links 2, 2', '4, 4'. and 5, 5 constitute the front legs of the easel.

The easel has a single rear leg, consisting of links I0, II and I2. The topmost end of the link I0 is by means of a hinge I5 articulated to the top member of the frame I, so that the rear leg as a whole may be tilted in aplane at right angles to the frame I. The middle link II of the rear leg is secured to the li'nk'fIIl bymeans of a threaded bolt with thumb nut I3 and is slidably and pivotally connected with the'link "II by means of a threaded bolt-I l, which passes through a longitudinal solt' l 8 in the link I I and is provided with a thumb nut. To thelink I2 is secured a cross member zll whichforms a carrying grip for the easel in collapsed condition) thereof. Between its ends the top link Ifl'has secured thereto a hinge I8;carrying an'arm I! which, when the rear leg has been'swung rearwardly as shown, in Fig. 2, is swung forwardly to rest against the back of the frame-'in'theposition shown'in full lines in said figure, in order to keep the rear leg'at a certain angle distance ,jfi'om the frame. When the' easel-is collapsed the'arm I1 is swung on' to the link III, as indicatedin dotted lines, and is secured in this positionby means, of'a hook I9. When the top link II is swung on to the frame I it is secured in such positionby means of a locking arm 29, which'is pivotable on' a pin 30 on one cross bar 23 of the frame,.so that said armymay be swung'acrossthe link". 4 Thelocking arm is secured in such position by sliding a notch" the like. When the link III is to' be swung rearwardly on the-hinge IE, the'link is first. unlockedby swinging the locking 'armto a nearone end thereof, under ascrew head ?I or bolts25 and thumb nuts thereon, Said bolt/s25 pass through longitudinal slots 24 'inthe cross bars, so thatthe clamp-s 26 may be shifted in the longitudinal directions of said cross bars and be secured in desired position" in accordance with the dimensions of the blind frame.

For protection of thepicture during transport the frame I is at its front side provided with a swingable screen or shutter. The same consists position par cated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, in which they cover the front of the picture and the frame 1. To provide for a sufficient distance between the screen and the picture in such position each' edgemember of the frame 1 is between its ends provided for instance: with a.

with a raised portion wooden block secured thereto, against which the abutting edges of the screen halves may rest. The

screen is locked in such position by means of locking pins 45 turnable in each blocki' 3'5 and having their free ends bent at an angle. locking pin enters acorresponding slot 43- in. the screen frame 4-3 when the latter is placed in the screening position, and the locking is obtained by turning each pin so that its angular part takes a position acrossto. the slot, as plainly shown in Fig; 6a,. T-heturning of each pin into a position inwhich its angular part isparallel to the corresponding .slot id-avillunlock the screen.

Byr meansv of lines or. chains 33 the screen is connectedto the side members of the frame i. Therefore, when thescreen is turned down to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2, a shelf is formed upon which the artist may place his palette, colour. tubes etc. In order that said shelf'shall not become toowide the halves 32 and 33 are thereby folded together on their interconnectinghinges. 34 so that they overlap each other. The lines 36 are suitably secured to the member 33 near tothe hinges 34, so that during the downward swinging a momentum comes intoexistence, causing the half 33 to swing inwardly towards the frame I.

The adjacent parts of the pivotable leg members and also thecorresponding parts of the front leg links 2,. 2' and the frame 1 respectively are, as-

shown in Fig. 7, provided with cooperating knots 3.9, for instancescrew heads, and recesses 40, in

order to further prevent undesired swinging movement. of the leg links after the thumb nuts having beentightened.

Theconstructive. details may vary within the scope of the invention. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 8,.the slidable leg members may be interconnected by means of tongue and groove instead of slots and screws In. operation the easel takes the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. For transport it is collapsed in.the following manner.

First the face of the picture is screened off by raising the screen halves 32 and 33 to the topmost position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Figure 6 includes a front view of the screenin suchposition. The screen is locked by turning the locking pins.45. Then .the thumb nuts I3 and 1'4 are untightened and the links I l and. [2 of the rear. leg are pivoted, and eventually slidtogether so. that they overlap the link Ill, whereupon the nuts are tightened. The distance arm I! is raised to the position shown .by dotted lines and the rear leg, now shortened as above described, is swung, onits hinge 15 on to therear side of the frame I Each 4 and locked by means of the locking arm 29, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Then the easels front legs are collapsed. The thumb nuts 6, 6 and 1, 1 are untightened, whereupon the links 4, 4 and 5, 5' are pivoted and displaced to the positions shown in Fig. 3 and then secured by tightening the-nuts; Nuts 3-,,3 are: released; the links 2, 2 and the links 4, 4 and'5, 5 conncctedtherewith are swung somewhat more than rearwardly and upwardly into positions at each side of the frame I, whereupon the nuts 3 and 3 are tightened. The easel now is in entirely collapsed condition, as illustrated in Fig. 6, and may be carriedby meansof the grip 20.

To erect the easel the above described operations are effected in inverse sequence.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim. is:

1. An easel including a picture-supportin structure adapted to'encase a picture, aprotective. screen pivotally attached at the bottom of said; structure, said screen comprising a pair of articulated sections, means for supporting said sections in overlapping, superimposed relationshipat. the; bottom of the structure and means for releasablylocking said sections in extended position over a;

picture supported. by and disposedwithin. the structure.

2. An easel according; to claim. 1v in which the means supporting, the. sections in overlappingv position is connected. to the upper. section adjacent the line of articulation so asto cause the. sections to overlap as they fall to the horizontal:

position.

3. An easel comprising a pictureecarrying frame adapted to encase apicture, ascreenv pivotally attached at the bottom of the frame andadapted to be swung upwardly into protective position in.

front of the carrying frame, means spacing said screen from said carrying frame'and means for releasably locking the screen in protecting position, said screen being articulated transversely and said .locking means acting on the upper section of the screen.

4. An easel including a picture-supporting structure adapted to encase a picture, a screen provided'with a slot and pivotally attached to-said structure at the lower edge thereof and adapted to be swung upwardly into a protecting position,

in front of a picture disposedwithin the supporting structure and means for releasably locking said screen in said protecting position, said'means comprising an angular locking pin pivotally secured to the-supporting structure and registering with the slot provided in said screen.

BERNT ANKER I-IOFFMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in, the file-of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 428,796 Berg May 27, 1890. 779,202 Burgess Jan. 3,1905

1,221,510.v Christensen Apr. 3, 1917 1,480,631. Osborn Jan. 15, 1924v 1,840,595. Moore Jan..12,,1932. 

